This Is Good-Bye, Amy Rose
by Shadow's Personal Assistant
Summary: Shadow's days are numbered. So, he and Amy decide to live out there lives... together. ShadAmy, SonAlly, CreTails, KnuxRouge. Oneshot. Character death.


A Note From The Author

Another ShadAmy thing? Yup. Unrelated to the last one. No lyrics or anything. I recommend that for the last part, you put on the song 'At The Well' by Neurosis. Enjoy the tragedy. PLEASE REVIEW!

-Fifteen Himself

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Can't you just put it behind you?"

"It's not that simple."

Amy Rose looked at her lover with teary eyes. She watched as Shadow came up to her and put his arms around the pink hedgehog.

"It's not fair." she sobbed.

"Nothing is." replied the black hedgehog.

Amy threw her arms around her brooding yet loving hero and began to cry quietly while hiding her face in his chest.

Shadow smiled a little and said "Hey, hey, what's this? Tears?"

Amy looked up at him, her emerald eyes meeting his own blood crimsons.

"I never... never... ever... thought it'd be like this." sobbed Amy.

Shadow lightly kissed her on her trembling lips. "I always knew I was flawed. The achievement of genetic perfection has always been just a silly dream, chased by mad doctors and whatnot. I knew I was destined for this fate." he said quietly, stroking Amy's shivering quills.

"But why now? Why not years later?" the pink hedgehog cried.

Shadow closed his eyes. It pained him, watching his true love be this way. But, like he said, he knew he was flawed: many years ago, before his disappearence, Dr. Gerald Robotnik implanted a tiny virus within the body of the Ultimate Life Form. Robotnik had known that this creation of his was to become more powerful than anything in the world, so, to prevent the destruction of the human race, he engineered the virus to activate at a certain time upon his release from stasis (which was caused by Dr. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik, Gerald's grandson). Once he was free, the virus would then grow ever so slowly, consuming Shadow in it's diseased grip straight until the moment when he would surely die...

Amy interrupted his thoughts by tearing away from his embrace. "NO! IT CAN'T HAPPEN!" she screamed, wailing her fists on Shadow's chest, the black hedgehog simply standing there taking the blows. "NO! NO! NO! I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! I'LL... I'LL... I'LL DIE WITHOUT YOU!" Amy shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Shadow looked at her with eyes that seemed to bleed his emotions. Pain. Sorrow. Anger. Concern. Every emotion he could generate within himself.

"I do know this..." he began, bringing the pink hedgehog back into his embracing arms. "It won't be for a very long time. We have lots of time to live out our lives."

She didn't want to look at him, but Amy couldn't resist.

"Where do we start, though?" she asked.

Shadow brought her in close and whispered in a low voice, "Will you, Amy Rose, be my wife?"

The tears suddenly come forth in her eyes. Amy looked straight into Shadow's own eyes, past them, into his heart. This was for real.

"Oh, Shadow! Yes!" she cried as she kissed her new fiance.

"I promise, until the end, I won't ever fail you." Shadow said, grinning.

"I know." whispered Amy.

...Six Months Later...

"You look gorgeous!" declared Rouge, She, along Cream, Sally Acorn, and the eager young bride, were out putting the finishing touches on the wedding dress.

"You nervous?" asked Sally.

"Like hell I am!" shrieked Amy with a laugh.

The sound of a knock suddenly floated through the door of the room.

"It's time!" shouted a young male voice. It was Tails.

"Oh crap, seriously? How do I look?" asked Amy, nervous beyong belief.

"Perfect!" the other three girls cried in unison.

Amy, along with her bridesmaids, scurried their way to the front doors of the first Mobius Church. The bride then brushed off any rubbish and whatnot, then collected her posture and took a deep breath.

Then, the majestic sound of the organ came seeping through her ears. _Here we go,_ she thought.

The doors swung open in slow-motion, the music becoming more amplified, everyone in attendence standing to pay their repsects. Amy began making her way down the aisle.

Their, at the altar, stood on a tall, black-with-red-striped adorned hedgehog, wearing a stunning tuxedo. He turned and graced his eyes upon her, a tiny smile making itself present on his muzzle.

Amy took a few steps up and became (moderately) level with her lover.

"You look beautiful." he whispered.

Amy's sole repsonse was a deep blush.

The ceremonies went on successful as could be, with the words 'I do' being passed, and ending with a passonionate kiss.

...Later That Evening...

After the reception, which included Sonic's roasting of Shadow, the bride and groom's comical first dance, and a little too much wedding cake, the newlyweds were finally alone in their new home on the outskirts of the city. They had just finished their... 'rituals' and had gone to sleep. However, around 1:00 in the morning, Amy awoke to a most sickening and deathly sound.

"Shadow?"

"BLEEECCCH!" was the reply.

Amy got up quickly and ran to the bedroom, where she found the black hedgehog hunched over the toilet, vomiting his life away.

_Oh no, _she thought, _the virus._

"Go... back... to sleep-BLEEECCCHHH-GODDAMMIT!"

"No! I'm not leaving you like this!" Amy cried as she put a towel, along with her arms, around him.

An hour and a half later, it seemed Shadow was finished. He laid himself back against the wall and began to do something Amy was quite sure before this he was unable to do... he was crying.

She kept her arms around the ailing hedgehog and comforted him and he sobbed "Oh, god, why?"

"Shhh... relax. Please, just rest." Amy said soothingly.

A short time later, they had fallen asleep together on the bathroom floor.

...A Year Later...

Shadow looked out the window of his and Amy's little home. It wasn't fancy, but it was something. Something that was just right for the couple.

Amy saw him and put her arms around him. "How ya doin'?" she asked.

Shadow unleased a rough cough.

"Oh, baby..." moaned Amy.

He turned around to face her, putting his arms around her as well.

"Do you know how much longer you have?" asked the pink hedgehog.

"Amy, whenever you ask that, it speeds up." replied the black.

"Sorry."

Another cough was let out.

"Well, for the record, everytime you cough, it hurts." Amy said, her head resting on his chest.

Shadow smirked.

"Good to know the feeling's mutual."

Amy laughed and kissed him.

"I respect the fact that you've been so professional about all this, given your affliction." she cooed, quietly.

"I'm not gonna let something like this ruin your happiness." he laughed.

They eskimo kissed and laughed, enjoying their precious time together.

...Later That Year...

"Man, Shadow, you look awful."

"Sonic!"

Amy was offended by the comment. But Shadow laughed it off and shook his head. "Relax, babe, he's just being the dickwad that he is." he returned fire at the blue blur.

Sonic laughed in response.

Their were all at the chirstmas party being held at Amy and Shadow's home. The word was out about Shadow's illness, so they decided to have it there each year until he's demise. Sonic and his fiance, Sally, were there, having just gotten back from a mission with the Freedom Fighters. Knuckles and Rouge were there, along with their new offspring, Tikal (named after the original). Tails and Cream, just walked through the door, looking like any cute teenage couple.

Amy and the girls were cooking up some cookies and brownies while the guys were in the living room, talking about random stuff and playing with baby Tikal.

"How does the first one feel about having your kid named after her?" asked Sonic.

Knuckles, who had the baby lying on his stomach, laughed. "She said she was honored."

Shadow let out a cough.

"Jesus christ, Shad." said Knuckles, looking at him at with something of a concerned face.

"I've been like this all year. I'm used to it." replied Shadow.

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles all traded faces of wariness.

In the kitchen, Amy was putting the last of the cookies into the oven when Rouge suddenly brought up a question.

"You guys thinking of a child?"

The pink hedgehog froze. "I... I don't know." she replied.

"Maybe we shouldn't bring this up now." asked Cream.

"But I wanna know!" Rouge shot back at the young rabbit.

"Drop it." growled Sally.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. I'll answer the damn thing." Amy said, taking a deep breath. "We're not sure. We're worried the virus will be tranferred during... you know."

"See, thats all I wanted to know." said Rouge.

"Maybe you could get Tails to examine him." piped up Cream.

"I though he only did mechanics." questioned Sally.

"Yeah, well he does other stuff in his spare time. He smarter than you think."

"It seems that way." muttered Amy. "I'll give it some thought."

...After The Party...

"Shadow, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Remember what we discussed about having a child?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe, just maybe, the virus isn't transferrable. Than what would you say to having a kid."

Shadow's head slowly fell back. He closed his eyes in deep thought.

"Even then, I'm not sure."

Amy looked at him confused. "Why?"

"I don't want any child of ours to be raised without a father." Shadow growled.

The pink hedgehog's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh!" she cried, running to her afflicted husband.

Amy then sat on Shadow's lap and curled up into a tiny ball. "Why? Why do you have to die?" she cried, sobbing and blubbering.

The black hedgehog put his arms around his suffering wife.

"Because fate is a bitch."

"No, Shadow. That won't do." she said, glaring straight into his crimson eyes with her own orbs of emerald. She was sick of Shadow's attempts to make her feel better. Amy didn't want him to die. She wanted him to live, live to see their own child grow up to be a hero, to live long enough to see the permenant downfall of Dr. Eggman. She wanted him forever.

Shadow began to weep quietly, holding on to his love.

"I'm so sorry." he whispered between sobs.

"For what?"

"Failing you."

"SHADOW!" exclaimed Amy. "You have not failed me! It is impossible for you to fail me! No matter what, you will be a success in my eyes! You are completely incapable of failing me, your wife, your equal, your one love! And do you know why? BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG! I. LOVE. YOU."

Shadow sniffled a little, taken aback by this sudden outburst.

Amy then realised what she had done.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry."

"..."

"Please, forgive me?"

Still no repsonse.

"Shadow?"

The worst come over her.

"Please..."

Tears filled her eyes.

"Please don't..."

Shadow's mouth opened a little.

"Ames..." he whispered.

"Yes?" replied Amy, positioning herself directly in front of him, tears gushing from her eyes.

"It's ok."

The pink hedgehog stared at him confused. "What?"

"It's ok. I get it now."

He still didn't make sense. "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't supposed to live forever."

"No, no, no, Shadow. You were. You are!"

Shadow simply smiled and shook his head.

"This is my fate. Believe me. Please."

Amy didn't understand what he was getting at, but something deep within her told her, despite it all, he was sure he knew what he was talking about.

"Ok..." she whispered, resting her forehead on his own.

_I don't know what you mean, or why you think this, but whatever you're feeling, I know it's right, _she thought to herself.

They then shared a quiet cry in each other arms well into the next morning.

...Five Months Later...

"Where is he?"

"Room 27. It's on the right."

Amy darted down the hospital hallway, Rouge and Cream tailing her. They slid in front of the door in order to slow down, then ran into the room.

Sonic and Tails sat in chairs on one side of the bed and Knuckles standing behind them, holding a sleeping baby Tikal. Sally was holding her new husband's hands, and was weeping silently.

And in the bed, was Shadow. His eyes, pale, the crimson orbs nearly extinguished.

"Oh my god." muttered the pink hedgehog.

Shadow turned his head and smiled. "Hey." he groaned.

Amy ran over and grabbed his hand. "I came as soon as Rouge told me."

He looked at the white bat. "Thank you." he said, roughly, followed by a deathlike cough.

Rouge simply nodded her head.

Shadow turned his head ever so slowly to Sonic and Tails. "Take care of your girls. Espicially you, faker." his voice was nearly gone, but the words were there. Sonic smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Hey, Knux."

"Hmm?"

"You gonna let me hold her? I didn't get to before."

Knuckles grinned and he set Tikal, wrapped in a blanket, down in Shadow's arms. Despite his state, he still had some strength left in him. The baby's eyes met his, and she smiled. Shadow did the same, and then gave her back to her proud father.

Amy watched all this unfold, and then saw Shadow's head turn towards her.

"Well, here it is."

Amy nodded. "Here it is." she answered.

"I still haven't failed you?"

"No. Of course not."

Shadow smiled.

Amy then bent down and kissed him, one last time. The love that was put into that single kiss was more than any other kiss they had shared.

Amy disconnected, her sadness overwhelming her.

"I love you, Amy Rose."

"I love you, Shadow The Hedgehog."

And with that, the final remnants of his earthly existence was consumed by the virus implanted in him so many years ago. And with that, the spirit of the Ultimate Life Form finally had found solitude.

"We'll give you a moment." said Sonic, leaving with the others in tow.

Amy than hung her head and began to cry. As her emotions poured out from within her broken soul, she noticed a piece of paper sticking out from the covers. It was a letter written by Shadow.

**My dearest Rose, **it began, **as my life begins to reach its end, I wish to tie up one last loose end. About a month ago, I secretly went to see Tails, to be examined. As it turns out, the virus was not transferrable. Therefore, Tails took a sperm sample from me to give to you. It's not the most romantic way, but it's something. However, before I could give to you, I was hospitalized. Its location is under the bed back at our home. Now, I want you to promise me something. Go home, do what you gotta do, have our child. Make sure you tell him/her about me. I know I won't be there to experience our offspring's life firsthand, however, I will watch from the heavens, and I promise to look over our little angel.**

**I love you**

**-Shadow**

Amy looked at Shadow's corpse and saw that he had died smiling. A full blown smile. Amy give him one last kiss and whispered "I promise, my love."


End file.
